St. Paul daily globe., 1887-01-03
Commissioner Oolman Asserts That the
Illinois Commissioners Have Ex-
ceeded Their Authority
In Allowing Recently Infected Stables in
Chicago to Be Reflled With
Cattle,
And Says They Have Not Taken Even
Ordinary Precautions to Stamp
Out Disease.
Overwhelming Evidence That the
State commissioners Have In
suited Their Chief.


by the commissioner of agriculture to regu
late the cooperation between the general
government and the states for the suppress
sion of pleuro-pneumonia, and accepted by |
Gov. Oglesby on behalf of Illinois. He re-
cites rule 10, providing that ''all animals |
affected with contagious pleuro-pneumonia |
are to be slaughtered as soon after their |
discovery as the necessary arrangements |
can be made" and saying, lit is noted !
that such afflicted animals were not
promptly slaughtered either in the distillery |
sheds or upon the Harvey farmer in their
infected herds" He declares that, despite |
the express stipulation that incubation
shall not be practiced in Illinois. inoculatiOn
has been permitted. He calls attention to
the provisions that Quarantines shall not be
removed
WITHOUT DUE NOTICE,
to the department of agriculture and that
all necessary disinfection shall be conducted
by the department, and. declares that there
have been violations of these rules of so
important a character that they threaten to
impair, if not destroy, the value OF all that
has been done in Chicago and may lead to
results so far-reaching and disastrous to the
whole country that can not allow them to
pass WlllOuO ClltCllHs hiOoO OliotiS piO-
test. 1t requires no great amount of search
to discover the reason and necessity for
these rules. In cooperating with state au
thorities this department has expended
large sums of money, and it would be
ridiculous to do this without some means of
assuring itself that such thorough measures
would be adopted and enforced as would
secure with reasonable certainty the object
for which the appropriation was made.
The Shuffeldt distillery stables were, with
out duuht. as badly affected as any stables
which have been discovered in Cook county,
with the possible exception of the Ph9niX
stables. Learning that the commissioners
contemplated withdrawing the quarantine
restrictions SO far as to allow the Henry II.
Shutfeldt company to refill its stables at
once
WITH HEALTHY CATTLE,
the chief inspector OF the bureua Of animal
industry at Chicago, entered his protest
and notified the department of the intended
action. Dec. 10. the chief OF the bureau of
animal industry, sent q written protest to
the commissioners and requested the privil-
ege of further consultation with them be-
tore such important actions were definitely
decided upon. Hearing nothing from the
commissioners, and learning from our in
spector that animals were to be placed in
the ShuffeIdt sheds, l wrote them on Dec.
II. calling their attention to rule II, and
expressing my readiness to diSinfect these
stables as soon as notified that they were
emptied and that this work could be COM
meneed. To this communication l have
received no answer. Under date of Dec.
IS. the commissioners wrote to the chief of
the bureau of animal industry, informing
him that on Dec II they issued an order
allowing Shuffeldt IL Co. to refill the
southern division of their sheds with healthy
cattle. Since that date. tine sheds men-
toned, have been refiled. and now contain
large number of cattle that had not
previously been
EXPOSED TO DISEASE.
In allowing this the commissioners re-
lieved the department of the'Quarantine re-
strictons which prohibited the entrance of
healthy cattle into the infected premises
| without the consent of the department and
without that due notice to which they were
| bound by the rules and regulations. They
also allowed the pest hole to be refilled with
suspected animals without giving this de-
partment any opportunity to disinfect it.
| AS was also provided for in the rules and
regulations, this is not cooperation. 1t is
| the arrogation by the state commissioners
of the right to divide and act upon ques-
tions of the utmost Importance to the whole
country without consulting this depart
ment. and regardless alike of our protests
of the rules and regulations. which your
action as governor of the state bound them
| to observe. Such course makes every
effort to cooperate with your state farce.
worse even than that, it removes the only
guarantee that could bring some substantial
result for the thousands of dollars expended
4fFarl.a nNN
priation for the Suppression of pleuro-
pneumonia, and now, after three months OF
anxious waiting for the tidingS that the
contagion had been thoroughly eradicated
from at least few OF
THE INFECTED PLACES
in Chicago, the country is amazed to learn
that the commissioners have decided not to
avail themselves of the most ordinary pre-
caution to prevent the temperance Of the
disease. They have allowed the owners of
the worst infected places now remaining in
the citv to disinfect their own premises
without satisfactory or competent super
vision. and practically with no supervision
at all: and. not satisfied with this, they
have shown the most extraordinary haste
and the most obstinate determination tc
have this place refilled Immediately with
fresh cattle. They allowed but single
day to elapse between the slaughter OF the
last affected animals and the issuance of ar
order to refill the stables. 1t is remark
able fact that every movement of the com
mission for the suppression of the plague
and the protection of the people at large
was attended with the utmost conservatism
There was no undue haste to slaughter the
diseased or exposed animals in the same
sheds. Ten long weeks, every day Of
which cost the citizens OF the country
thousands of dollars. were
ALLOWED To DRAG ALONG
before the courage of these gentlemen coulC
be brought to the point of carrying out thi:
plain provision of the law. They do no
seem to have made hurried attempt t.
safely dispose of the plague which wa
spreading over the commons of the city ant
neighboring towns, but how different whel
the interests of wealthy distilling com
pany were to be protected, a company whcl
had suffered the plague and allowed
it to multiply upon its premises ant
which had violated the law by failing t
respect it. To save this firm from loss
permit was granted with the most eXtraordi
nary haste for reflling the sheds as soon a
the last of the plague-stricken cattle ha
been slaughtered. 1t is inexplicabie tina
| the commission appointed to serve the in
terests of the people of your state shoul
adopt such an erratic and dangerous POI
lev" The commissioner refers at consider
able length to a communication from III
commissioners dated Dec IS, in which tn
commission endeavors to excuse this re
markable action by citing certain mean
upon which its decision was based. ii
takes up its reasons one by one and com
ments upon them. He declares that som
y